Droga 5 Telstra Anzac Day campaign calls for public to text the troops
Ad agency Droga 5 has launched a new campaign for Telstra asking the public to send texts stating their support for the country’s troops in the run-up to Anzac Day.
The Message of Support campaign sees SMS messages sent from consumers charged at standard rate.
Their messages are then displayed on Telstra’s web site.
An accompanying TV ad sees AFL, NRL and netball players urging the public to send messages.
The initiative marks a return to the theme of linking brands to Anzac Day by Droga 5. The agency is also behind VB’s controversial “raise a glass” initiative which links the beer to RSLs.
Credits:
- Creative Agency: Droga5
- Creative: Christopher Waldekrantz, Oskar Westerdal
- Editor: Stewart Arnold
- Media: OMD
- PR Agencies: Pulse Communications and Javelin Australia
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This is appalling. Maybe if Telstra was going to donate the money from the messages to veterans it would get a pass. The agency should be ashamed, and they have now done it twice.
But the real doozy is this . . . how the fuck are our troops that are deployed overseas supposed to see the messages on the Telstra website??? They are the ones that need the most support.
I hope when the agency of the year is judged, the powers that be take into account not only award winning work but shithouse work as well. Come to think of it, this is a really good idea!
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I’m not sure how others feel but I think it’s pretty sad advertisers have jumped on ANZAC Day. Surely some things are sacred.
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@ Droga has jumped the shark
Couldn’t have said it better.
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If there’s anyone out there that thinks this is good strategy, by all means speak up, because I’m extremely doubtful you exist.
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Almost as bad as the woman’s magazine a few years ago promoting a recipe for “ANZAC cookies” in their TVC…
I’m suprised the RSL hasn’t complained about the commercisation of ANZAC day – maybe they’re getting a healthy cut like they are with the beer campaign?
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Hi
This is one those issues that doesn’t really call for a balance sheet reconciliation, but since you’ve gone there:
1) The minimal SMS revenue shared by Telstra and other carriers is about $1000 and is well and truly offset by the thank you MMS message we return to the thoughtful senders. Not all the people sending messages are Telstra customers and the vast majority of people send their support messages online.
2) We have built a specific feed for the troops to view and print messages. This has been designed specifically to ADF requirements for deployed troops for use on bases and ships. It’s been tested and is working beautifully.
Kristen Boschma
Head of Online Comms & Social Media
Telstra
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Isn’t this simply an extension of the long-running “Hero Message” concept? The one trotted out every Commonwealth Games, Olympics, World Cup, etc. One could critique that it hasn’t had the deepest development of insight or creative style since then, but if it ain’t broke…
I don’t have a huge issue with it for ANZAC Day either. They’re respectful adn supportive.
Maccas and their “No, thank *you*” Digger execution have been welling eyes up for a few years without complaint.
Of all the brands to have “permission” to do this, VB and Telstra seem the strongest, closely followed Maccas and Qantas (who I’m not aware of doing anything directly).
As ever, I loathe Telstra for the pox they inflict on Australian telecommunications, but this isn’t the reason to pillory them.
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What a surprise – a Telstra marketing exec chiming in with an online sneer.
Appreciate the logic but managing the defensive/passive-aggressive tone a little better may have been a good idea?
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@Anonymous
Agreed – I would’ve thought the head of social media at Telstra would know better. [Edited by Mumbrella]
Back to the campaign, I still think this Anzac Day concept is less offensive than the VB one
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It’s a fucking disgrace using a day of remembrance to flog phones and beer. Telstra and CUB should hang their heads in national shame.
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I remember when I ripped off I mean borrowed an idea not unlike this, no hang on, sorry it was another one with crosses on the road from New Zealand.
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I’m going to buy a VB on Anzac day and drop my Telstra phone into in. (I wonder how long the post above will stay??)
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This is gross.
We all know companies only support charities and do community minded things to increase sales. Why else do they spend so much advertising and PRing the fact?
I hate Telstra even more now.
“Yay, go team!”
This isn’t a sporting contest Telstra, this is gross bloody warfare, people are dying. Dead. Bullets in heads type stuff. Why the hell are Telstra endorsing a war? Much less trying to profit from it.
If you want to do something for the country why not stop sending so many jobs off shore? Oh that’s right, you’re a money making machine who doesn’t really care.
And nor do Droga5. Otherwise they’re actually think twice about involving themselves in this type of crap.
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OK, that’s done it. I’ll never buy VB again and persuading anyone who listens to do the same. It’s just a couple of advertising wonks in the back room playing the war card for a quid. Shame, shame, shame.
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